Congregation Dorshei Emet
Congregation Dorshei Emet is the Reconstructionist Synagogue of Montreal, serving Jewish community members and interfaith families through participatory Shabbat services, lifecycle events, adult education, youth programs, and social justice initiatives funded by membership dues and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersHampstead, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Congregation Dorshei Emet does
Congregation Dorshei Emet is the Reconstructionist Synagogue of Montreal, a nonprofit religious congregation founded in the 1960s as a chavurah and now based at 18 Cleve Road, Hampstead, Quebec. The congregation serves the Montreal-area Jewish community, interfaith families, and spiritual seekers through weekly participatory Shabbat services (Saturdays at 10:00 AM), lifecycle events (birth ceremonies, B'nei Mitzvah, weddings, death and mourning), adult education (Torah study, Daf Yomi, Paths of Torah conversion classes), and family and youth programming (Sunday Shorashim). It is explicitly egalitarian and inclusive, welcoming members regardless of religious background, observance level, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic status, with a stated DIY heritage maintained from its chavurah origins.
The congregation's core technology is the ShulCloud content management system, a proprietary platform purpose-built for synagogues that powers its website, member login, event registration, donation processing, calendar management, and the Kol Ha'kehilah newsletter. It supplements this with organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram) and weekly email announcements. Beyond core religious and educational programming, the congregation runs a Tikkun Olam (Social Justice) Committee that operates a Syrian Refugee Project, sponsors a student refugee through the World University Service of Canada at Concordia University, and hosts the annual Empty Bowls participatory fundraising event with local potters.
The revenue model is donation-based rather than fee-based. Income derives from annual membership renewals (suggested donation tiers), per-event suggested donations (e.g., $18 for members and $36 for non-members at Selichot Services; $36 suggested with $18 minimum for the Kiddush Fund), and tax-receipted tzedakah contributions recognized in the Kol Ha'kehilah newsletter. There are no mandatory fees; suggested amounts are voluntary. The congregation employs approximately 8 people, is independently governed with no parent company or institutional investors, and operates exclusively within Canada, primarily in the Montreal region.
Congregation Dorshei Emet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Congregation Dorshei Emet
- Legal name
- Congregation Dorshei Emet
- Website
- https://dorsheiemet.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Congregation Dorshei Emet is the Reconstructionist Synagogue of Montreal, serving Jewish community members and interfaith families through participatory Shabbat services, lifecycle events, adult education, youth programs, and social justice initiatives funded by membership dues and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Congregation Dorshei Emet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Congregation Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)
Keywords
Where Congregation Dorshei Emet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hampstead
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Congregation Dorshei Emet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership renewal with suggested donation amounts. Members receive account credits and are encouraged to login for proper account management.
- Donations and Tzedakah: Voluntary donations to various funds including Kiddush Fund ($36 suggested donation, $18 minimum for tax receipt), General Fund for programs. Tax-deductible donations recognized in the Kol Ha'kehilah Newsletter.
- Event Registration Donations: Optional suggested donations collected during event registration, particularly for special services and programs like Selichot Services ($18 members, $36 non-members).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Per event | Kiddush Fund Donation - $36 suggested, $18 minimum for tax receipt |
| Subscription | Per event | Selichot Services - $18 members, $36 non-members |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Congregation Dorshei Emet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Congregation Dorshei Emet is a Reconstructionist synagogue that delivers participatory Shabbat and holiday services, lifecycle event officiation (birth, B'nei Mitzvah, weddings, death/mourning), adult and youth Jewish education, and social justice/charitable programs for the Montreal Jewish community. Operations are supported by a ShulCloud-powered website that handles membership renewals, event registration, donations, calendar distribution, and member communications.
Product overview
Congregation Dorshei Emet operates primarily as a physical community institution (a Reconstructionist synagogue in Montreal) that also maintains a digital presence through a ShulCloud-powered website and community platform. The core offering consists of Shabbat services, lifecycle events, and community programs. The digital platform enables membership management, event registration, calendar coordination, newsletter distribution, and donation processing. The synagogue also runs social impact programs including refugee sponsorship and charitable fundraising events. The website serves as the central hub for community engagement, with tools for weekly announcements, the Kol Ha'kehilah newsletter, and various educational and cultural programs for members and visitors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shabbat Services Weekly Saturday morning services at 10:00 AM featuring participatory, egalitarian prayer that mixes traditional liturgy with music, chant, and creative readings, followed by a vegetarian Kiddush lunch; registration with a Thursday noon deadline is required.
- Membership Programs Annual membership renewal and new member registration at suggested donation tiers, open to individuals and families regardless of religious background, observance level, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic status.
- Lifecycle Events (Birth, B'nei Mitzvah, Weddings, Death and Mourning) Rabbinic officiation and congregational support for the full lifecycle, including birth ceremonies, B'nei Mitzvah preparation, weddings, and death and mourning observances, with aliyah (Torah honors) available to members.
- Adult Education Programs Adult learning programming including Torah study, Daf Yomi Talmud study, Paths of Torah conversion classes, book clubs, lectures, and workshops on Jewish culture and spirituality.
- Family and Youth Programs Intergenerational programming including Sunday Shorashim children's education, family Shabbat services, and family-oriented community events.
- Interfaith Family Support Programs and resources for interfaith couples and families, drawing on the Rabbi's role in the 18Doors Rabbinic Cohort to deliver workshops, welcome interfaith families into full participation, and support those exploring Judaism.
- High Holiday Services Annual High Holiday services (5787) with guest passes and dedicated family programs at the Hampstead, Quebec site, oriented to both members and visiting guests.
- Paths of Torah Conversion Classes Structured conversion education program for individuals and families exploring Judaism, integrated with the congregation's broader adult education and interfaith support offerings.
- Empty Bowls Fundraiser Annual participatory fundraising event featuring hand-made bowls donated by local Quebec potters; attendees purchase bowls and enjoy a soup lunch and musical performances, with proceeds directed to tzedakah.
- Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Project Refugee sponsorship initiative that has supported Syrian refugee families and partners with World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Concordia University to sponsor a student refugee for one year of study.
Quantifiable outcome
- Services followed by vegetarian Kiddush lunch for continued community connection
Companies that use Congregation Dorshei Emet
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Congregation Dorshei Emet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Congregation Dorshei Emet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ShulCloudcoreShulCloud is the proprietary content management system provider for the synagogue's website, powering all member login, event registration, donation processing, calendar management, and member communications. The synagogue's website is powered by ShulCloud at dorsheiemet.com.
- 18DoorscoreRabbi Boris is a member of the Rabbinic Cohort for 18Doors, an organization supporting interfaith couples and providing resources to connect with Jewish life. He leads workshops and is an activist for interfaith inclusion in Montreal and Canada.
- World University Service of Canada (WUSC)minorNon-profit organization with 55+ years of experience working with students. Dorshei Emet sponsors a student refugee through WUSC's Student Refugee Program for one year of study at Concordia University, helping establish a permanent student refugee program.
- Concordia UniversityminorPartner university for student refugee sponsorship program. Dorshei Emet works with Concordia's student committee which has primary responsibility for sponsored students' well-being.
- Potters Throughout QuebecminorLocal potters donate hand-made bowls for the Empty Bowls fundraising event, a participatory program raising funds for tzedakah (charity).
- reFrame FilmsminorDocumentary film producer for 'Salaam Montreal,' a 16-minute film documenting the sponsorship of Syrian refugee families by Dorshei Emet, directed by Garry Beitel and produced by Barry Lazar.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Congregation Dorshei Emet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Congregation Beit Simchat Torah: LGBTQ+ inclusive Jewish congregation in New York that shares Dorshei Emet's explicit welcome of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and a similarly participatory, seeker-friendly worship model.
- Romemu: Progressive, spiritually innovative Jewish community that similarly blends tradition with contemporary practice and welcomes interfaith families and seekers — closely aligned with Dorshei Emet's Reconstructionist, DIY ethos.
- IKAR: A progressive, participatory Jewish community in Los Angeles emphasizing social justice, inclusivity, and creative liturgy — a strong functional analogue to Dorshei Emet's community-led model.
- Society Hill Synagogue: A Reconstructionist congregation in Philadelphia offering similar egalitarian services, adult education, and lifecycle programming under the same denominational framework.
- Kol Shofar: A Reconstructionist synagogue in the San Francisco Bay Area operating under the same Reconstructionist movement as Dorshei Emet, sharing comparable theology, egalitarian practice, and program structure.
- Congregation Shaar Hashomayim: A major Montreal-area synagogue with a long-established membership base, comparable lifecycle and educational programming, and overlapping donor pool in the same Hampstead/Westmount catchment.
- Ansche Chesed: A progressive, participatory Conservative synagogue in New York with comparable egalitarian services, social-justice orientation, and emphasis on community-led engagement.
- Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom: A large progressive/Reform synagogue also located in the Montreal area serving the same Jewish community. Most direct geographic peer competing for overlapping members, lifecycle events, and donor dollars.
Broad incumbents
- Congregation Emanu-El: One of the largest and most established Reform Jewish congregations in North America; competes broadly for the same inclusive, contemporary-oriented members but operates at significantly greater scale and resources.
Regional players
- Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue: Historic Sephardic synagogue in Montreal; serves an overlapping Montreal Jewish community with comparable lifecycle and worship services but a different denominational and cultural orientation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Congregation Dorshei Emet social profiles
Digital presenceCongregation Dorshei Emet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Congregation Dorshei Emet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Congregation Dorshei Emet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Congregation Dorshei Emet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Congregation Dorshei Emet
What does Congregation Dorshei Emet do?
Congregation Dorshei Emet is a Reconstructionist synagogue that delivers participatory Shabbat and holiday services, lifecycle event officiation (birth, B'nei Mitzvah, weddings, death/mourning), adult and youth Jewish education, and social justice/charitable programs for the Montreal Jewish community. Operations are supported by a ShulCloud-powered website that handles membership renewals, event registration, donations, calendar distribution, and member communications.
Is Congregation Dorshei Emet a public or private company?
Congregation Dorshei Emet is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Congregation Dorshei Emet founded?
Congregation Dorshei Emet was founded in 1960. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Congregation Dorshei Emet based?
Congregation Dorshei Emet is headquartered in Hampstead, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Congregation Dorshei Emet make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are donations and Tzedakah and event Registration Donations.
Who are Congregation Dorshei Emet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Romemu, IKAR, Society Hill Synagogue, Kol Shofar, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Ansche Chesed and Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom. Congregation Emanu-El is listed as a broad incumbent. Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue is listed as a regional player.
Does Congregation Dorshei Emet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Congregation Dorshei Emet.
What industry is Congregation Dorshei Emet in?
Congregation Dorshei Emet's product category is Religious Congregation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAD, Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.